6 best apps to install on smart TV

Most new TVs are smart TVs. While you can use them to play games on your console or watch movies or shows from your favorite streaming platform, TV channel, or cable subscription, did you know they can do so much more? These are the apps every smart TV should have installed right away.

1. BrowseHere

A smart TV is considered a computer. While it's not as powerful as a phone, tablet, or laptop, it can still perform basic tasks like browsing the internet. And since most smart TVs also have Bluetooth connectivity , you can pair it with a wireless mouse and keyboard for a full-fledged internet-surfing device with a giant screen.

If you want to do this, you'll need to install TCL's BrowseHere app, a browser designed specifically for TVs and made by TCL, the maker of the massive 115-inch TCL QD-Mini LED TV. However, users can install it on other Google TV products to browse the Internet.

While you can use this app with your TV remote, we still recommend getting a good wireless mouse and wireless keyboard for added convenience. And since most tablets and laptops have Bluetooth, you can use these accessories with your other devices as well.

• Download BrowseHere (Free)

2. Spotify / YouTube Music

While Bluetooth speakers are great for parties, did you know you can install Spotify or YouTube Music on your smart TV? That way, you can just turn on your TV and start playing music directly from the TV instead of letting your phone do all the playing when you're hosting a party.

Doing this will save you from having to fiddle with your equipment. If you’re building a budget home theater in your house, you can take advantage of the system’s better speakers to play music.

Using your smart TV to play music can also add some life to your home, even if you're alone. For example, if you're cooking and following a video recipe on your tablet, you can have Spotify or YouTube Music playing in the background without interrupting the video you're watching.

• Download Spotify (Free) / YouTube Music (Free)

3. Steam Link

One of the reasons people buy a big TV is to enjoy games on it. However, not everyone has a gaming console, especially those who have switched from console gaming to PC gaming or those who grew up with PC gaming and have never owned a console. And while it is possible to set up a gaming desktop or laptop in the living room and play games there, that is often not the best place to put a PC.

So if you want to play games on the big screen but don’t want to move your gaming PC around, you should install Steam Link on your TV. While Steam Link is primarily used for playing Steam games on smartphones, it can also be used to play games on a smart TV. But if you’re going to do that, you’ll need to connect a Bluetooth controller or use a wireless keyboard and mouse setup, as playing games remotely with a controller is next to impossible.

While you'll need a strong internet connection to enjoy your games via Steam Link, you can use that connection instead of spending hundreds of dollars on a console to enjoy games on your smart TV.

• Download Steam Link (Free)

4. VLC for Android

Most of us enjoy entertainment through streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or YouTube . However, there may be times when you want to watch your own videos rather than videos from a streaming service. If that's the case, you'll need to install VLC for Android on your TV.

VLC can not only play videos that you load on your smart TV, but it can also access video and music files that you have stored elsewhere, such as on your local network or even via an FTP server. You can also use it to play local music files. So if you have music and videos stored on a USB or external hard drive and want to watch them on your TV, you should install VLC for Android.

• Download VLC for Android (Free)

5. Google Meet

While there's nothing better than seeing your family and friends face-to-face, that's often not possible. So the next best thing is to catch up with them via video call on your smart TV. The larger screen will make it more enjoyable to watch them instead of having to use the small screen on your smartphone or tablet.

However, to use this feature effectively, you need a smart TV with a microphone and camera. If your TV doesn't have these features built in, you can attach a USB webcam and then start using your smart TV to call your family and friends via Google Meet.

• Download Google Meet (Free)

6. Apple TV App

If you don’t have an iPhone or any other Apple device, you probably won’t consider subscribing to Apple TV+. This is especially true since the Apple TV app isn’t available on Android phones, Android tablets, or Chromebooks . While Apple keeps its streaming platform app exclusive to iOS and iPadOS, it knows that Apple TV’s market share is tiny compared to Android or Google TV, so it’s made the Apple TV app available on other smart TV platforms.

This is one of the great reasons to subscribe to Apple TV+, even if you don't have an Apple device. Installing the Apple TV app lets you enjoy some great Apple TV+ exclusives, like For All Mankind, Ted Lasso, Severance, and Greyhound.

• Download Apple TV (Free)